Commemorative Speech at the Victory Day Parade… “China’s Great Rejuvenation Cannot Be Stopped”
On the 3rd, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated, “Humanity is now at a crossroads between choosing peace or war, dialogue or confrontation.” In his speech at the 80th anniversary parade commemorating the “Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War Victory” held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, President Xi emphasized that “history warns us that the destiny of mankind is closely interconnected” and that humanity is once again faced with choosing between peace and war, dialogue and confrontation, or win-win cooperation and zero-sum games.
President Xi continued, emphasizing that only through mutual respect, harmony, and cooperation among countries and nations can common security be maintained, the root causes of war eliminated, and historical tragedies prevented.
He further asserted that the Chinese people stand firmly on the righteous path of history and human civilization’s progress, adhering to the path of peaceful development, and will work with people from all countries to build a community of common destiny for mankind.
Describing the Chinese nation as resilient and fearless in the face of violence, President Xi recalled past struggles where the nation united against common enemies to fight for national survival, rejuvenation, and justice for humanity.
Additionally, he reaffirmed that under the strong leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and the guidance of Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the “Three Represents,” and the Scientific Outlook on Development, the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation cannot be stopped, and the noble cause of peace and development for humanity will inevitably be victorious.
Unlike in his 2015 Victory Day speech where he announced the surprise reduction of the People’s Liberation Army by 300,000 troops, President Xi did not mention troop numbers in this address.
On this day, the 80th-anniversary parade was attended by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin, joining President Xi at the Tiananmen gate tower. This marks the first time since the end of the Cold War that North Korea, China, and Russia’s top leaders have gathered in an official setting. The last occurrence was 66 years ago during the 1959 Chinese National Day parade, which saw North Korean leader Kim Il-sung, Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong, and Soviet Communist Party Secretary Nikita Khrushchev standing together at the gate tower.